7 Reasons Food Lovers Need to Go to This Year's Seattle International Film Festival

Spoiler: It's not just popcorn.

By Leslie Kelly April 4, 2018

Popcorn, for starters. (DUH!) The SIFF venues that host this month-long celebration of cinema from around the world in May serves awesome versions of that beloved movie munchie, probably because the makers of said snack have much practice popping. It’s free to SIFF members, so the theaters make tons of it. And, yes, it’s especially good with SIFF’s carefully curated offerings of local beer and wine.

Beyond popcorn, this year’s recently announced lineup of six films featuring food and drinks sounds ultra-tasty. The Culinary Cinema selections are sprinkled throughout the festival’s full calendar, and dates are not yet set. Consider this preview an appetizer to get mouths watering.

Cuban Food Stories is a documentary lovingly made by Asori Soto, who left the island nation when he was a kid. He returns to explore food traditions in a place where residents rise to the challenge of doing a lot with limited resources.

Constructing Albert follows the brother of famous elBulli’s chef, Ferran Adrià in a classic case of sibling rivalry. Sometimes referred to as the world’s most underrated chef, Albert Adrià struggles to build his own legacy while opening restaurants around Madrid.

Wonder what it takes to rate a Michelin-starred review? Viewers visit highly rated restaurants from Paris to New York, Copenhagen to Tokyo, to witness the Herculean efforts made toward creating the perfect meal in Michelin Stars: Tales from the Kitchen.

Thirsty yet? The trio of films devoted to making memorable craft beer (Brewmaster), single malt Scotch (A Golden Dream, directed by Andrew Peat, no less!) and the characters who serve drinks (Schumann’s Bar Talks) will undoubtedly give audiences a new appreciation for the process and the end game.

Happy viewing! Oh, and if you just can’t wait for a food-driven film, Ramen Heads is playing this week at SIFF Uptown. It’s a Japanese film that does a deep dive into the steps meticulously taken to produce noodle soup perfection.